Improvement in harvesters



2 Sheets--Sheet i.

S. D. LOCKE.

improvement in Harvesters.

: I F' atent ed Aug. f6, 1872.

I l I 2 She ts SheeLZ,

s. LOCKE.-

Improvement in Harvesters.

Patented Aug 6,1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

SYLVANUS D. LOOKE, OF JANESVILLE, \VISOONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 130,227, dated August 6, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

- had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is an elevation and section of the standard for journals of the compressing-roller. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the roller and driving-drum.-

This part of my invention relates to that class of harvesting machines wherein the grain, when out, is received upon an endless apron, and thereby conveyed to the side of the machine and deposited in a receptacle prior to being delivered in a gavel upon the ground,

or to the binders or binding mechanism carried upon the machine; and it consists, first, in a series of rollers to keep the apron depressed at its inner end and to prevent the misplacement of the grain while being elevated; second, in the manner of mounting said rollers upon swinging arms; third, in the manner of mounting a hood extending over the upper delivery-end of the apron; fourth, in cilige manner of constructing the roller-standar I prefer to construct my machine to be advanced in front of the horses in the manner shown and described in my patent of July 30, 1870, to which reference is hereby made for a general description of the manner of construction and mode of operation of my machine; and in this specification a description will be given of so much only of said machine as pertains to the improvement which forms the subject of this patent.

That others may fully understand my invention, I will particularly describe it.

The main frame of this machine is represented by the girts A B, between which, at the rear of the apron, the drivingwheel is located, as shown by dotted lines at D, Fig. 1. The girts O E are secured across A B and support the cutting apparatus and carryingapron, as shown; and they may be extended, on the opposite side, to support a binders table or an automatic binding apparatus. The driving-wheel D, being located between the girts A B, as shown by dotted lines, att'ords an opportunity to arrange the driving-gearing at the outer side of said wheel, as shown by dotted lines, and therefore the driving-shaft F may be located so far away from the end of the cutter-bar that it is possible to employ intermediately a connectingrod or pitman, G.

The shaft F extends along the main frame and rests in boxes prepared for it upon the girts O E, outsideof the girts A B. One mode of connecting the shaft F with the driving-wheel D is shown in the counter-shaft H, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. At the forward end of the shaft F I place a crank-wheel and connect the pitman Gthereto to drive' the cutters I. The grain, when out, falls upon anapron, J, which moves parallel with the cutting apparatus and conveys the cut grain to the side of the machine, where it may be delivered to a binders table or to the receptacle of an automatic binder. At the outer side of the apronframe the apron J passes over a roller, K, the bearings for which are placed in eyebolts L L, which are threaded and rnninto nuts or. I

screw-sleeves l l at the outer side of the frame, so that, by turning said nuts, the roller K may be moved laterally and the apron J may be tightened or 1oosened,'as may be from time to time required. This manner of arranging the take-up for the apron is always accessible and permits the adjustment of the apron without disturbing its action with reference to the bindor or other parts of the machine. At the inner side of the machine the apron J passes over a driving-drum or roller, M, and under the roller N. These rollers or drums are constructed avith heads N of cast-iron, each provided with a central stud, m, for a bearing or journal and two concentric flanges, m m, near ,the perimeter, and the ends of the staves which form the cylinder of .the roller are confined between the flanges m m. The tie-rods o extend through the drum and draw them together so as to hold the staves firmly in place. In this way the drum or roller is made with great strength and very light. The driving-drum M is elevated above the main frame sufficiently far to raise the grain to the height necessary for its delivery upon the receptacle. At a point opposite the inner end of the cutting apparatus the apron passes under the drum or roller N, which keeps the outer part of the apron level, and also compacts the grain so that it is carried up over the elevated drum M without difficulty. The roller N has its bearings located in slots in the standards 0, so that the said rollers may move up and down within certain limits to accommodate the varying thickness of the mass of grain which is required to pass under it. Springs are placed within the slots in the standards 0, to produce the required downward pressure without reference to the weight of the rollers, as shown particularly in Fig. 4.

The standards 0 are cast each in two pieces so as to form recesses for the reception of the spring above referred to, and shown in Figs. 2 and 4. At the lower end the standard has a foot, by means of which it is secured in place upon the main frame. It is desirable to dispense with projections or lugs upon the face of the apron, because they, are always more or less liable to catch the grain, and otherwise become obstructed; they will also carry the grain down between the receiving platform and apron. The grain cannot be compacted upon the apron when the same is provided with projections as it can upon a smooth apron. I therefore provide a second drum or roller, 1, the bearin gs of which are mounted in swinging arms Q, said arms being centered upon the axle of the drum N. The drum P simply rests with its own weight upon the inclined part of the apron, and revolves as the apron moves beneath it. Its effect is to keep the grain upon the apron in a compacted condition. The wind will sometimes blow the grain from the more elevated part of the apron, if the same is not covered and protected from its action. To this end I place 7 the hood H, made of sheet-iron or other suitable material, over the upper or driving drum M, as shown, and the grain will not then be disturbed by the wind. I find it advantageous to attach the hood H to swinging arms Q, and the hood then increases by its own weight the effect of the rollcrP, and it rises and falls with the varying thickness of the mass of grain passing under it just as said roller rises and falls. Therefore the grain cannot clogunder the hood.

I prefer to make the apron J of canvas, with a strip of leather along each edge; and it is kept extended laterally by cleats secured across its under side, to which the canvas and leather strips are. nailed. Guide-clips s, with the edge toward the moving grain, made inclined, as shown, keep the edges of the apron properly in place and down upon the platform. The drum M is constructed with guide-flanges f at the ends, to retain the apron in proper position upon said drum.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In combination with an endless elex'atingapron, J, a series of rollers or drums, N 1 located over the apron in such a manner as will allow the grain to freely pass underneath them and yet to hold it so firmly against the apron as to prevent gravity or the wind, or the jolting of the machine, from entangling or displacing the grain as it is elevated by the apron, substantially as set forth.

2. The roller P, mounted at the ends of the I swinging arms Q, combined with the roller N and the endless apron.

3. The hood H, mounted at the ends of the swinging arms Q, combined with the rollers Witnesses:

J. M. ll/IAY, S. A. HUDSON. 

